Speed-regulator.



No. s7|,465. Patented Apr. |9ol. w. .1. BARNES.

SPEED REGULATQB.

(Applicstioxzf lud Sept. 24, 1900.

3 Sheets-N SheetV 2,

(No llodol.)

Patented Apr. 9, 190|.

W J BARNES SPEED nEGuL'ATon.

(n u d I) (Application tiled Sept. 24, 1990.) 3 shatsshaeta.

UNITE 'STATES WILLARD J. BARNES, OF MECHANICSVILLE, NEYV YORK.

SPEED-REGULATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 671,46 5, dated April 9, 1901.

Application filed September24, 1900. Serial NoL 30,886. CNO model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLARD J. BARNES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mechanicsville, county of Saratoga, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Speed-Regulators,of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to such improvements; and it consists of the novel construetion and combination of parts hereinafter described and subsequently claimed.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, and the reference characters marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several figures.

In speed-regulators for water-wheels and the like of the relay type, in which a centrifugal governor controls the movements of powerful mechanism for operating the main gates when changes of speed occur, due to fluctuations in power or variations in load, and the governor has brought into action the mechanism for opening or closing the gates, it is obvious that the movement of the gates will continue until the speed ofthe machinery has returned to the normal.

Great or frequent fluctuations in the load tend to cause too great a movement of the gates before the speed of the machinery returns to the normal, which causes racing or hunting and consequent excessive fluc- The object of my invention is to provide a simple and easily-operated mechanism adapted to materially reduce or Wholly eliminate such fluctuations in speed.

I make use of a well-known means for directly operating lthe gate, consisting of a piston and cylinder adapted to be operated by fluid under pressure and a valve for admitting pressure to the opposite sides of the piston, respectively, to open or close the gate and connect this yvalve with the slide-sleeve of a centrifugal governor. Heretofore this valve has been connected with the gate or the gatecontrolling mechanism in such a way that the movements of the gate-controller would close the valve without aecting the movements of the centrifugal governor, other means being employed to neutralize the function of the gov ernor until the machinery and governor had come to their normal speed. In my improved regulator I connect the gate-controller or gate with the link or stem which connects the valve with the slide-sleeve ofthe governor in such a manner that I am able not only to close the valve by the movements of the gate-controller, but to synchronously and with certainty restore the governor to its normal position, so that the governorweights will revolve approximately in their normal plane.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a central vertical longitudinal section, partly in elevation, showing my improved regulator in engagement with a gate-shaft, the gate not being shown. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing a modified form of connection between the valve-stem and the gate-controller. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a portion of such connection. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified form of such connection. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 4E.

The centrifugal governor l, which may be y of any known type, isconnected with the machinery, driven by a water-wheel or the like, (not shown,) operated bya main gate (not shown) secured to ashaft 2. A revoluble movement is communicated to the centrifugal .upper sleeve 5 is free to slide on its support and is connected with the upperend of valvestem 12, so as to communicate vertical longitudinal movements to such stem. The lower end of the stem is connected with the valve 13.

The position of the parts shown in Fig. l is the normal or midway position which Vthey occupy when the machinery is running at the preferred normal speed. Should the machinery run too fast, the centrifugal force exerted upon the weights 3 causes them to fly outward from each other and draw the slidesleeve 5 downward, thereby forcing the valvestem downward to admit fluid pressure through inlet-pipe 14, by the valve, through IOO thereby force the piston 17 and piston-rod 18 Y forth on the arm of the lever.

along the cylinder 19 toward the right hand, causing the rack 2O on the end of the pistonrod to engage the gear 21 on the' gate-shaft 2, rotating the same in a direction to partially y.

close the main gate, and thus tend to check the speed of the machinery. Asa means for preventing the gate from being closed too far I provide a lever 22, fulcrumed upon the stationary frame at23, having one-end 24 engageable with the valve-stem. The other end of the lever is provided with a Weight 25, suspended from the lever by means of a grooved trolley 26, adapted to be moved back and rions parts are in their normal position, the weight 25 counterbalances the centrifugal weights 3, permitting the'arms of the lever`to rest in a horizontal position. When the increased speed of the governor causes the valve-stem to move downwardly to open the valve, as just explained, it forces the weighted arm of the lever upward. The Weight is connected with the gate-controller, comprising a piston and cylinder operated by fluid-pressure, in such a manner that the movement of such' controller due to `the opening of the valve, as before explained, draws the Weight toward the elevated end of the lever until it reaches a point Where the leverageis sufficient to enable the weight or counterbalance to de-i` press the elevated end of the lever, thereby closing the valve and at the same time'forcing the slide-sleeve 5 of the governor upwardly to` its normal position and drawing the centrifugal Weights inwardly to their normalposition.

As a means for moving the weight along the arm ofthe lever vI provide a toothed sector 27, pivoted upon a stationary support, as stud 28, so adjusted as to engage the gear 21, xed on' the gate-shaft and be given oscillatorytnove-, ments thereby. The sector is provided With an upwardly-projecting arm 29, uponthe end of which is pivoted the link 30, which con-l:

, nects this arm with the Weight, Wherebythe movement of the gate-controller toward theright, as seen in Fig. 1, imparts tothe weight a similar movement toward therend of the le-r ver-arm which supports'it. The movement of the gate-controller and the weight continuesl until the Weight overbalances the force of thefl governor-Weights to close the valve and at the same time restore the governor to its normal position, as before described. vIt is ob-l vious Vthat the closing of the valve 13 stopsf the supply of fluid under pressure to the cyl-` inder 19, which arrests the movement ofthe, gate-controller and the gate-shaft. Sbouldj the speed of the machinery be reduced fori any reason, then the centrifugal force of the governor-weights, being reduced, Will be over--lv balanced by the counterbalance or weight 25, which will drop and force the valve-stem u'pward to open the valve, which admits fluidiy r )under pressure by the upper end of the valvel throughthe pipe 31 to the chamber 32 'of the When the vabeing oppositely disposed to each other.

cylinder, which forces the piston toward the left, thereby operating the gate-shaft to partially open the gate, the Weight-supporting arm of the lever 22 having been depressed from the horizontal position. The sector 27 is oscllated so as to cause the link 30 to push the Weight up the incline toward the fulcrum of the lever until the equilibrium is restored between the counterbalance and the force of the centrifugal Weights, thereby causing the lever to resume its horizontal position, forcing the valve-stem upwardv to again close the valve and at the same time restore the governor to its normal position.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a modified form of valve-actuating lever and counterbalance, together with means for operating the same, in

y which thelever is in the form of a bell-crank 33, fulcrumed upon the stationary pivot 34, t-he upper arm of the lever heilig pvoted on one end of the link 35, the other end of the link being slotted and providedwith two supports adjustably secured in said slot. The

lever 36, fulcrn med at 46 and connected at 47 link 35 by loosening the nut 42'on the screwthreaded stem 43 until the springs are given theproper tension to effect'the desiredmovem'entof the valve-stem. Y. The link 35 may rest upon and be supported'by a roller 44, rotary on the pivot 45, projecting from the supporting-lever A36.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown a modified form of weight orcounterbalance for operating 'the lever 48, which actuates the valvestem, consisting of a shaft 50, supported in suitable bearings and provided with a rocklever arm48, which is `fixed thereon, as by means of the 'set-screw'l, also with a pair of sleeves 52 and 53, each provided with a bevelgear sector, the sleeve 53, having the sector 54, being loose upon the shaft and held thereon by the collar 55. yThe sleeve 52 is fixed upon the shaft, as by set-screw 56, and is provided with the sector'57, the two sectors The arm 58 projects from the sleeve 59, loose upon said shaft between the sector supporting sleeves, its projecting end being provided with a weight 60, movable upon said arm and adapted lto be secured in an vadjusted position thereon by means of the set-screw 61. The weighted arm is provided intermediately of its ends with the bevel-gear 62, adapted to IOO IIO

the rack 65 on the end of link 66, which connects it with the piston of the gate-controller y or mechanism operated by it. When the governor and machinery are running at `normal speed, the parts preferably occupy the midway position, (shown in Fig. 4,) in which the weighted arm is inclined at an angle of about forty-five degrees. Should the speed of the machinery be increased beyond the normal, the valve-stem will be moved downwardly, as before explained, overbalancing the normal force of the weighted arm. As the stem moves downwardly it depresses the rock-lever arm 48, which elevates the geared sector 57, rolling the beveled pinion up the other sector 54, and thereby lifting the weighted arm slightly, because the sector loose on the shaft is prevented from yielding to the force of the .weighted arm by the rack 65, which is connected with the mechanism operated by the piston of the gate-controller. Furthermore, The opened valve has set the piston of the gate-controller in motion and in that direction which will move the rack to the left, as seen in Fig. 4, and elevate the sector 54, rolling the beveled pinion up sector 57 until the Weighted arm pressing down upon the sector 57, fixed to the shaft, has acquired sufficient power to overbalance the governor-weights and elevate rock-lever arm 48 sufficiently to close the valve and restore the governor to its normal position. While the rock-lever arm is being elevated, the sector 57 is correspondingly depressed, the loose beveled pinion rolling down the sector 54, the latter sector being held up by the rack 65. When the speed of the machinery falls below normal, the movements of these parts are reversed.

My invention is applicable to any form of speed-regulator employing a centrifugal governor, and any known mechanism may be substituted for that shown as a means for causing such governor to influence the movements of the main gate or valve.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is X I l. In a speed-regulator for water-wheels and the like, the combination with a gate-controller adapted to be operated by fluid-pressure; and a centrifugal governor; of a valve for controlling such fluid-pressure; connections between the centrifugal governor and valve for operating the valve; connections between the gate-controller and valve-operating mechanism adapted to close the valve and at the same time to force the governorweights into an abnormal position relatively to the rotary speed of the governor, substantially as described.

2. In a speed-regulator, for water-wheels and the like, the combination with a gate-controller adapted to be operated by fluid-pressure; and a centrifugal governor; of a valve for admitting fluid-pressureto operate the gate-controller; valve-operating mechanism connecting the governor and valve; connections between the gate-operating mechanism and the valve-operating mechanism adapted to close the valve and restore the governor to its normal position synchronously with the movements of the gate and before the rota1-y` speed of the governor becomes normal, substantially as described.

3. In a speed-regulator, for water-wheels and the like, the combination with a gate-controller' adapted to be operated by fluid-pressure; a centrifugal governor; and a valve for admitting fluid-pressure to operate the gatecont-roller; of a stem connecting such valve and the slide-sleeve of the governor; a lever fulcrunied upon a stationary support and. operatively connected with such stem; and a yielding lever-operating connection between the gate-controller and such lever whereby the movements of the controller acting upon suchlever will gradually close the valve and restore the governor to its normal position, before its rotary speed becomes normal, substan tially as described.

4. In a speed-regulator, for water-wheels and the like, the combinationwith a gate-controller adapted to be operated by fluid-pressure; a centrifugal governor; and a valve for admitting fluid-pressure to operate the gatecontroller; of a stem connecting such valve with the slide-sleeve of the governor; a' lever fulcrumed upon a stationary support and operatively connected with such stem; a counterbalance acting through such lever and stem upon the slide-sleeve of the governor to balance the normal force of the governorweights and movable independently of such lever and stem; operating connections between such balance and the gate-controller for changing the relative positions of the balance and-lever and restoring the governor to its normal position, while its rotary speed remains abnormal, substantially as described.

5. In a speed-regulator, for water-wheels and the like, the combination with agate-controller adapted to be operated by fluid-pressure; a centrifugal governor; and a valve for `admitting duid-pressure to operate the gatecontroller; of a stem connecting such valve and slide-sleeve of the governor; a rock-shaft rotatively supported in stationary bearings; a rock-lever fixed upon such shaft and operatively engageable with such stem; a pair of bevel-gear sectors, one loose and the other fixed Vupon such shaft and disposed thereon oppositely to each other; operative connections between the loose sector and the gatecontroller whereby the movements of the controller impart to the loose sector an oscillatory movement on the shaft; and an arm weighted at one end and loosely supported at the other end on the rock-shaft and provided intermediately of its ends with a loose beveled pinion located between and engageable with both the oppositely-disposed sectors,sub stantially as described.

6. In a speed-regulator, the combination with mechanism for operating a gate or the like controlling the fluid-supply to a prime IOO IIO

mover; of a centrifugal governor; operating connections between the governor and gateoperating mechanism; and connections bei tween the gate-operating mechanism and governor whereby the governor is forced by the movement of the gate-operating mechanism into an abnormal position relatively to its rotary speed, substantially as described.

7. In a speed-regulator, the combination with a centrifugal governor,'and mechanism for operating a gate or the like controlling the fluid-supply to a prime mover; of operating connections between the governor and gate-operating mechanism, movable in one direction by the governor; and means for forcing such connections in a direction opposed to the norm al action of the governor, thereby forcing the governor into its normal position and at thesame time stopping the action of the gate-operating mechanism before the rotary speed of the governor becomes normal, substantially as described.

8. In a speed-regulator, the combination .with a gate-con troller; a centrifugal governor;

and governor-actuated mechanism for inducing action and inaction of said controller; ofv

.connections between the gate-controller and troller and the governor adapted to force the governor-weights into a plane of rotation abnormal to that corresponding with their angular velocity, synchronously with the movements of the gate-controller, whereby said governor is caused to induce, independentlyV of its angular velocity, inaction of said controller.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 14th day of September, 1900.

- WlLLARD J. BARNES. .Witnessesz FRANKC. CURTIS, E. M. OREILLY. 

